Throwing a party is a nerve-racking experience if you’re the host. Will all the guests turn up? When they do arrive, will they have fun, or will your house party go down as the snoozer of the century?
When throwing a party, you should always have a music playlist, offer plenty of beer, wine and a signature punch (and set up a bar so that guests can help themselves), provide decent snacks, have some party games to fall back on and also stock up your bathroom with a suitable supply of extra toilet paper and hand towels.
Now think back to when you’ve had the most fun at parties. The chances are the party had a theme of some sort. Themes work great for parties as they give guests the chance to get creative and really get involved, not to mention the fact that the theme itself helps to set the atmosphere for the party. Below is a look at some of the best themes under which you can host your next house party.
Garden theme
Depending on the season, you don’t necessarily have to hold the party indoors. Instead, you can move the action out into the garden. You could have all your guests bring around a plant as a moving in gift. These plants can be for indoors or outdoors. It doesn’t matter. It’s the thought that counts. When hosting a garden party, you may wish to hire a mixologist to take some of the pressure off you and add that little bit of style to your bash.
Tropical theme
The tropical theme is a classic and is also easy to plan. You can bring colorful decorations, seashells and flowers. Pop some pineapples and margaritas out on the tables to complete the look. Believe it or not, pineapples are also a symbol of hospitality. If budget isn’t an issue, you might also wish to hire some hula dancers to inject the wow factor into your bash.
Basic
There are some things that everyone loves but are so basic that people are too proud to admit their fondness for them. So, get yourself on Instagram and base your party on all those simple things that people love. Photo booths, endless mimosas, pizzas … make them all a part of your basic bash.
1980s
It’s a cold, cold heart that doesn’t look back on the 1980s with fondness, or at least not appreciate the decade if they weren’t around at the time. The hairstyles, the music, the clothing… all so kitsch, but ultimately, this decade was all about having fun. You might even ask all your guests to wear shoulder pads to the party. Power dressing — remember that?!
Casino
You don’t have to be a professional gambler to throw a good casino themed party. Nor do you have to be one if you’re a guest at this type of party. Learning about casino games will help you to understand what will make for a good casino party. Some of the simpler games such as roulette or blackjack are more likely to be suitable for parties. Guests can understand the rules quickly and then just enjoy the action if you all decide to go online and play for cash together.
James Bond
Daniel Craig has done a fine job as the ultra-smooth British secret agent and has got all the guys wanting to be like him. Your James Bond-themed party is their big chance to don the tuxedo and look as dashing as 007 himself, and for the ladies to get their Bond girl on and wear a stunning outfit for your bash. Don’t forget to load up the playlist with songs from the Bond movies. Oh and of course, make sure there are plenty of martinis (shaken, not stirred).
Paint the town red
This is a color-themed party where the premise is simple: just ask everyone to come dressed in red. The shade can be whatever they want, but the color has to be red, and they must dress in red from head to toe.
Beer festival
Are a lot of the people you know beer drinkers? Then your party offers you an ideal chance for them to indulge this passion by making beer the theme of your party. Ask all your guests to bring a six pack of their favorite beers, stouts, lagers etc. and you can spend the party trying them out.
Alice in Wonderland
“Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland” may have felt like a crazy story, but this classic has created scope for amazing parties. The novel gives guests the opportunity to dress up as zany characters from the story. Note that you do run the risk of everyone turning up as the Hatter, of course, so the question is whether you’re willing to take that chance.
If you happen to be hosting the party in wintertime, set up a hot chocolate station and make sure you’re not short on marshmallow toppers to go with flavored hot chocolate. Don’t forget, too, to put ‘Eat me’ and ‘Drink me’ labels on any food dishes, just as in the first chapter when Alice follows the instruction ‘Drink me’ and drinks from a bottle that causes her to shrink and, after reading the words ‘Eat me’ set out in currants, also eats a cake.
There’s no need to feel scared when hosting a party at your home. Everyone loves a good theme, so choose a good one and you can make your bash a memorable one.